Abnormal Connectivity Within Executive Resting-State Network in Migraine With Aura

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Neuroimaging

Background:

• Migraine is a prevalent neurological disorder.
• Executive functions are crucial for daily activities.
• Understanding brain network alterations in migraine is important for management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate executive control network (ECN) connectivity in migraine with aura (MA) versus migraine without aura (MO) and healthy controls (HC) during the interictal period.
• To correlate ECN functional connectivity with clinical features in migraine patients.

Main Methods:

• Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was used to assess ECN functional connectivity.
• Voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging were employed to examine structural and microstructural integrity.
• 20 MA patients, 20 MO patients, and 20 HC were included.

Main Results:

• No significant executive dysfunction was observed in migraine patients.
• rs-fMRI revealed decreased ECN activity in the right middle frontal gyrus and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex in both MA and MO groups compared to HC.
• No significant differences in ECN functional connectivity were found between MA and MO groups, and these abnormalities were independent of structural changes or clinical parameters.

Conclusions:

• Patients with MA and MO exhibit disrupted ECN functional connectivity in the interictal period.
• This functional disruption may predispose migraineurs to difficulties during cognitively demanding tasks, even without overt executive deficits.